Clerk LaPorte reports county commission may consider paving Judd Road

At its Feb. 25 regular meeting, the Sumpter Township Board of Trustees heard Clerk Don LaPorte report that he got a call for Wayne County Commissioner Allen Wilson about his request to for the county pave a part of Judd Road.
Clerk LaPorte said commissioner Wilson said the county is in the process of divving up its funds for projects and LaPorte’s request for the improvement of Judd Road is at the top of the list.
Sumpter officials may have to go to a commission meeting to give a pitch for the project, LaPorte said.
When he asked commissioner Wilson to improve Judd Road, he explained that the gravel road between the paved part of Judd Road and Rawsonville Road is hard on the fire trucks that use that route to get to Rawsonville Woods mobile home park, where there are many calls.
LaPorte had been a member of the fire department for many years.
Judd Road is a safety issue, he said, noting that the trucks will be able to get to that part of the township faster to help people if the road is smooth.
In other business at the 50-minute on Feb. 25, the board:
• Approved the Feb. 13 minutes of the planning commission and the Feb. 13 zoning board of appeals minutes and then rescinded both actions and removed the items from the agenda. Trustee Oddy informed them these minutes haven’t been approved first by the commission and the ZBA, as is the usual procedure;
• Approved the planning commission’s recommendation for a text amendment to Section 6.4, Regulation of Animals;
• Approved paying Midwest Pavement Inc.’s final invoice for the additional work and fees authorized on the parking lots totaling $55,486;
• Approved sending treasurer Bart Patterson to attend the MMTA Basic Institute training April 28-May 2 at a cost not to exceed $1,415. After the vote, Patterson said this is the basic class and it will require him taking a week off from work;
• Approved sending deputy treasurer Erica Campbell to MMTA Advanced Institute training, May 14-16, at a cost not to exceed $800. Patterson said his deputy already completed the basic training and will be going to advanced training;
• Approved increasing Cari Ford’s contract hours from 55 to about 100 hours a month until a permanent finance director is hired;
• Approved directing labor attorney Stacy Belisle to prepare a separation agreement and closure document for existing Worker’s Compensation issues;
• Heard Trustee Matthew Oddy say the board met in special open session before this meeting to consider the evaluation of candidates for township manager. He said there was a large group of candidates;
• Heard Ban say it has been pointed out to here that there used to be two public comment areas on the agenda, but now there is just one at the beginning. The two used to be public comment on agenda items only at the beginning and open-floor public comment at the end. Now there is only open floor at the beginning and none at the end. She had said at a previous meeting that the public had nowhere to give open comments to the board;
• Heard Ban also compliment senior coordinator Maryann Watson who loaned a walker and commode chair to a senior in need even though she lived in Van Buren Township. Ban said Van Buren Township does not have a loan closet. Ban said she got the items from Watson and delivered them to the senior, who was very grateful. She also said she called the new county commissioner Allen Wilson about the bad conditions of the Sumpter roads and has received no reply. She then called county executive Warren Evan’s office and talked to a woman who said she would call back and gave Ban her phone number. She said she doesn’t need Wilson to reply, since she went higher up at the county. Patterson called Wilson’s office and got a voice mail reply;
• Heard resident Leroy Paige invite the board and residents to the 50th anniversary celebration of Vietnam War Era Veterans at 5 p.m., Friday, March 21 at Belleville High School. He said the time included is November 1955 to May, 1975. He said when these veterans returned they did not get good treatment. This event is to honor their service and sacrifice, he said;
• Heard a SenCy, Inc. representative discuss the township’s cybersecurity program that is up for renewal at $15,000 and a 10% discount. He described an additional $3,000 program for external and internal threats. He said the township now has a great score in cybersecurity with an expected 800+ score in March. This contract will be considered at an upcoming meeting;
• Heard township manager Anthony Burdick report that the $25,000 MEDC grant has been finalized for parks and grounds improvements, both ordinance vehicles need to be repaired or replaced and this is being reviewed, the south side police department windows are finally being installed that week, and the Belleville Central Business Community’s Memorial Day Parade is May 26 and last year Sumpter officials participated;
• Heard Oddy report the planning commission is considering roof pitches and accessory buildings for family members to live;
• Heard trustee Tim Rush report there will be one hour worth of Skyward training this year in late March on a Saturday morning at the fire hall. He said the police and fire departments are invited along with the DPW and residents. Huron Township has also been invited. Trustee Rush said, “Covid messed us up” and this is the first weather training since then;
• Heard clerk Don LaPorte report he got a call from Priority Waste that said they are doing the best they can to keep the schedules for trash pickups, adding that the roads were sheets of ice; and
• Heard Oddy say he called commissioner Wilson about the dangerous branches hanging over roadways.